(a) If the probable cost of an expenditure by the city will be fifty thousand dollars ($50,000.00) or more, the city shall follow the formal bidding requirements of subsection (e) hereof.
(b) If the probable cost of an expenditure by the city will be more than twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000.00) but less than fifty thousand dollars ($50,000.00), Council may authorize the Mayor or a person designated by him or her to take informal bids, and Council may award the contract to the lowest and best informal bidder.
(c) Expenditures of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000.00) or less may be made by the Mayor without the approval of Council, but the taking of informal bids shall be used when such procedure would tend to conserve public funds.
(Ord. 99-O-1, passed 2-1-1999; Am. Ord. 13-O-37, passed 7-24-2013)
(d) All expenditures made under this section must be in conformity with the general appropriations ordinance and shall have the approval of the Finance Director.
(e) The formal bidding process shall be carried out as follows.
(1) The Mayor or a person designated by him or her shall prepare or cause to be prepared specifications for the articles or services required and shall advertise the requirements of the city for the same for at least two consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the city or in a professional or trade magazine appropriate for such purpose, inviting suppliers to tender sealed bids in writing for the furnishing of such articles or services, such bids to be publicly opened not less than 15 days following the date of the first advertisement, at a time and place specified in the current published notice.
(2) The formal bids shall be opened and tabulated publicly at the time and place specified in the advertisement for bids, an investigation of the responsibility of the bidders shall be made by the Mayor as he or she may deem necessary. The Mayor shall report to Council the bids and the results of any investigation of the responsibility of the bidders and shall recommend to Council the selection of the lowest and best bid or, if the Mayor determines that the interest of the city would be better served, the rejection of all bids.
(3) Council shall accept or reject the bids received under this procedure.
(f) Competitive bidding shall not be required where a contract involves performance of personal services of a specialized nature requiring the exercise of a peculiar skill and aptitude, such as, but not limited to, engineers, architects, legal services, accounting services and the like. Further, competitive bidding shall not be required where a two-thirds vote of Council determines that there exists a real and present emergency arising in connection with the maintenance and repair of a municipal utility, the operation and maintenance of the Department of Public Service, the Fire and Police Divisions and/or any other department, division or commission of the city.
(Ord. 90-O-20, passed 3-19-1990)
(g) Notwithstanding any of the provisions of this section, no contract for the purchase of articles or services at a cost of more than twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000.00) shall be made unless Council has, by ordinance or resolution, authorized and directed the Mayor to do so. Contracts for the purchase of articles or services costing more than twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000.00) shall be submitted to the Director of Finance for certification as to the availability of funds.
(Ord. 99-O-1, passed 2-1-1999; Am. Ord. 13-O-37, passed 7-24-2013)